by frog
Despite the undemocratic First Past the Post electoral system in the United Kingdom, we have something to celebrate.
Caroline Lucas has become the first Green MP elected to the UK Parliament – even under the flimsy excuse for democracy that is designed, like the US electoral system, to keep the Tweedledums and Tweedledees of unsustainable big business political advocacy ruling the chicken coop.
The outcome of the UK election is still unknown as to which parties will be in or support a Government.
But well done the Greens in Brighton, and those from elsewhere who supported them, for getting Caroline elected despite a blatantly and undemocratically biased electoral system that aims to shut out from ever being a part of Government all but the tired old UK Tory and Labour parties who have no vision beyond the next election.
Well done Caroline – all power to you to help bring ecological sustainability and social justice to the UK.
And also to bring your country a democratic electoral system so the people can actually have a say in achieving that.
[Also hope the Lib Dems get enough seats to make one or other of the tired old parties put electoral reform on the agenda - that is close at the moment]
Published in Featured | Justice & Democracy by frog on Fri, May 7th, 2010
Tags: Caroline Lucas, democracy, FPP, UK elections
on the trolls and those who are unable to keep on topic
I remember another MP who once could have been in that position if we hadn’t changed the system…
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although you do run the risk of the BNP…
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Robin Goodfellow at the top table!
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hoho hoh.
an important thing to keep in Contemplation is that there are 650 MPs in the UK as well as 733 members of the Lords, it will be interesting to see what difference can be made with that barrier
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Even fascists deserve democracy. In a democratic system you can’t just ban their political representatives.
The challenge for those of us who support human rights is to ensure fascist parties are marginalised and that democracy never allows them a share of power, even though they may gain electoral representation.
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I’m sure that exact line was said back in 1924…
The Problem for Nick Clegg in his Electoral Reform wants is the whole issue of what electoral system would they end up with …
And incidentally that whole issue of coalition/confidence, back in 2005 I believe many Labour voters expected a Green -Labour, Not a Labour- NZ first…
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Worked a treat from 1945 till 1951 then didn’t it?
Fair enough to criticise first past the post, but it was hardly set up as a conspiracy of capitalism. It has seen one major change in major party alignment in the 1920s when Labour supplanted the Liberals.
Before electoral reform is addressed, the West Lothian question needs to be addressed as well. Quite why Scottish and Welsh voters should send MPs to Westminster to decide on education, health and transport in England, when the reverse does not apply, is an appalling anomaly that came from devolution.
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I don’t understand the point of view that the Conservative Party has the moral right to attempt to form a government based on 36% of the votes. It is generally accepted that the Liberal Democrats are slightly to the left of Labour and if the Lib Dems got 23% of the vote and Labour got almost 30% it means that at least 53% of British voters wanted a centre left party to govern. I can see a Winston Peters’ style tragedy looming!
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Wow, that is interesting sprout… Leads me to think the attempt to paint Greens as pot smoking communists works to a certain extent…
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Even if they don’t replace FPP, they seriously need to looks at the way Ballots are issued and counted, they need to introduce easy access to Advance votes and better rules regarding poll station closure such as the allowance for anyone who is still queued up to vote no matter what “deadline”
Rather than at 10 they shut the door, they should merely cordon off the voting line
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Britain is a very dark place politically the only vague hope would be the liberal Democrats to moderate whatever party they go with.
To me the British Labour party still stinks of Toney Blair, a war criminal and a lair. thats worse than being conservative.
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This is the policy survey site I mentioned in an earlier comment. I hope something similar is set up for us next year.
http://voteforpolicies.org.uk/
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@sprout May 8, 2010 at 11:13 AM
The reason being, of course, that apart from the occasional electorate where the Greens poll particularly well, would-be Green voters see no point in voting Green in the UK. So they vote instead for the Party most likely to keep out the one they want least.
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Hail Toad! such wisdom in one so young!
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Congratulations on the seat, it looks like PR could be round the corner so maybe more seats from now on
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I don’t believe National ‘believes’ it has a mandate. It simply adopts that position and uses it to batter its way through any impediment.
Perhaps in time it will convince it’self that the people want them to do this and that, but for now, they know they have to walk a careful path.
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Yer – took ‘em two days to figure out which side of the House to sit on – and stop addressing the Oppo as ‘the Honourable Minister’ – bland fools, won’t have a mandate at all after next year.
Wanted ‘One Glabberous Strongman for Small Country – Grasp of Basic Science Not R/Q
What can I tell you Kiwi?
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Regards the West Lothian question, indeed the English need their own devolved parliament like the other nations in the UK have now. This could be the House of Commons. The House of Lord should be reconstituted as a federal senate which deals with UK affairs only.
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BNP lost heavily considering their share of the vote & number of local councillors defeated. Griffin did really badly in his electorate & may be deposed.
The Greens having Caroline Lucas elected was due to very active local support, the fact that she had already won a European Seat thus increasing her credibility, a good personal rapport with voters, no sitting MP contesting the electorate, the expenses scandal which tarred all ‘conventional MP’s’ with the same brush, & that she is a quite attractive committed person with good ideas of course, & good sensible policies to back her up. Although some of the UK Greens ideas on taxation & the economy seem to fly in the face of sustainability. For example I have heard her extolling the virtues of sustained growth of the economy to help get out of the current bind, & say nothing about complete reform & restructuring of the economic model.
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The UK example is just more reason for Aotearoa to maintain support for MMP.. but also to give two ticks in 2011
Kia-ora
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This blog title(header) looks a little skewed to my way of reading..
In the UK any credible candidate plays per the rules. Knowing how Lucas was showing very well several months outs and then consolidating that to a solid win doesn’t do justice to “against undemocratic odds”.
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Fair comment tomfarmer. I was referring to the entire undemocratic system in the UK under FPP.
There was always a good chance that Caroline would get elected in Brighton Pavilion, because of its demographics and past voting record.
But in many other parts of the UK, Green supporters would have voted Lib-Dem or Labour or even Tory because, despite their commitment to sustainability, they knew the Green candidate in their electorate didn’t stand a chance.
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One wonders whether the Green MP will take any position on the forming of a government.
Possibly advocating that the LD hold out for electoral reform is one way to win disaffected LD voters if Clegg allows a Tory government without electoral reform being guaranteed.
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@Uroskin, great idea… An elected President as Head of State at the same time wouldn’t go amiss either…
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Hi frog,
yep I realised your point as well.. and yep, green vote placed elsewhere would appear savvy and intelligent.. may not be ‘in the tent’ so to say, but a foot in beats no foot in.. and yep, a prospective ‘better’ political future is worthwhile wannabe out of LB positionings..
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It is a great achievement for Caroline to gain a seat but it was in Brighton. One seat highlights the cause but I doubt whether it will give it much more of a voice unfortunately.
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